More Layoffs at the Fresno Bee

November 3, 2009 12:00:00 AM PST

FRESNO, Calif. --

The Fresno Bee reports 51 employees in the paper's circulation department will lose their jobs when the company restructures its delivery functions.The 51 employees work at four distribution centers in Fresno and Clovis. The Bee's publisher said the newspaper will contract with private companies for delivery services. Similar changes have already taken place at the Bee's sister papers in Sacramento and Modesto.

The Fresno Bee said the changes are necessary because of a major decline in advertising revenue due to the recession.

The transition will occur in phases, and is expected to be finished by January 31st.

This is the fourth round of layoffs for the struggling newspaper since last year. When this round is complete, the Bee will have half the employees it had before the recession started.